


the other side of the screen

by assortedwords



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Internet Friends, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Making Out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-10
Updated: 2016-02-10
Packaged: 2018-05-19 12:42:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5967783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/assortedwords/pseuds/assortedwords
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Did I make it clear that I love you</i>
  <br/>
  <i>From the other side of the screen?</i>
</p><blockquote>
  <p>Checking the dates on their posts, Chihiro meets Akashi for the first time precisely three years, five months, four weeks and eight days ago, on 11:30PM.</p>
</blockquote>
            </blockquote>





	1. side: mayuzumi

**Author's Note:**

> this is a mayuaka fic that has both oreshi and bokushi. when bokushi shows up is up to you, but when they first meet it's oreshi, and during 10 onwards it's oreshi.

  1. (Teikou era)



Checking the dates on their posts, Chihiro meets Akashi for the first time precisely two years, four weeks and eight days ago, on 11:30PM.

They meet on a post bashing on a character that annoys Chihiro enough to sit down, crack his knuckles, bang out a whole _analysis_ about how that character was _not_ useless to the plot nor a burden on the whole series, and if you think so, then—really, have you even _read_ A Clockwork Apple? After 4 lengthy paragraphs and countless colourful expletives ranging from “listen here you little shit” to “AND IF YOU THINK FOR ONE MOTHERFUCKING SECOND—” directed at the OP, the reader, anyone in particular, Chihiro hits POST and stretches out his fingers.

Not two minutes later, he gets a comment:

 

> **shogi_emperor:** Despite not having read the series in full, I agree with @athousandquestion’s opinion.

It leaves Chihiro blinking in disbelief at his screen due to two things: 1) that is a _pretentious-ass_ username. Clearly this guy doesn’t know the art of creating usernames; it’s not as bad as a weeb mash-up disaster, but it’s _pretty bad._ 2) He’d posted that barely two minutes ago, _how_ did this guy read all four paragraphs within that time frame. 3) His account is _tiny_ and hard to find (he knows—he’s tried before. He’d had to go through 4 pages on Google before finding his own blog), there’s no way this guy could have found it that easily, read his add-on, and _then_ commented in that span of time.

But then it’s almost midnight and he has homework he hasn’t done yet, so Chihiro closes his laptop screen and attempts to make a start on his homework in a baffled sort of mood.

2.

The next day, Chihiro opens up his account again and sees something _new_. Namely, a red notification that says:

 

> **[ You have a new message! ]**

_What_. What, is he getting popular now? Internet-famous because of his analysis yesterday?

 

 

> **shogi_emperor:** I really agree with your opinion. It’s refreshing to see someone else who got the same idea from the book as I did.

If this were any other scenario, Chihiro would have thought: _Oh my God, I have a creepy stalker._ But this is about his weeb content and _a fictional character he likes_ , so he starts typing back at the speed of light, excited.

 

> **athousandquestions:** i know right?????? everyone else thinks that kaguya didn’t do anything that volume but seriously, if you look closely she did _so much_ , without her ringo and everyone else would’ve been So Fucked™

The other guy must’ve been online at the same time, because Chihiro gets another notification not long after.

 

> **shogi_emperor:** I agree. My friend pointed out the writer’s craft in this, I must admit that its subtlety is very impressive.  
>  **athousandquestions:** wait, your friend? does he—or she agree too  
>  **shogi_emperor:** “They” would’ve made a sufficient pronoun for that, Chihiro-san. But yes, I showed Tetsuya your post and he agrees as well.

Oh yeah, “they” was a thing. Chihiro kept forgetting. But first of all, his attention was distracted elsewhere:

 

> **athousandquestions:** what the fuck how do you know my first name  
>  **shogi_emperor:** I know everything.  
>  **athousandquestions:** what the fuck  
>  **shogi_emperor:** Just kidding. I apologize, I’ve been told my jokes aren’t very amusing. I guessed from your username. Chihiro means a thousand questions, you can see from the kanji.  
>  **athousandquestions:** …  
>  **athousandquestions:** ok fine that’s fair  
>  **shogi_emperor:** My name is Akashi Seijuurou.  
>  **athousandquestions:** and i didn’t ask  
>  **athousandquestions:** your name is even more pretentious than your username though holy shit i didn’t think that was possible

And somehow, by the time Akashi signs off (he tells Chihiro he has his tutoring lesson, and Chihiro marvels even more at his pretentiousness), two hours straight have somehow slipped by, and Chihiro didn’t even notice.

Chihiro hasn’t held a conversation that’s more than ten minutes for quite a while.

3.

About two months into their… _friendship_ , Chihiro supposes grudgingly, Akashi suggests that they exchange LINEs as well.

 

> **shogi_emperor:** I recently acquired an account. It’d be nice if we could talk there, too.

Chihiro can’t find it in himself to bat an insult back. It’s not like Akashi’s said anything remotely offensive (except his use of vocabulary; who _“acquires”_ a social media account?), and it’s _really_ not like he’s kind of excited about this or anything.

> **athousandquestions:** yeah sure i don’t use it much though  
>  **shogi_emperor:** That’s fine, as long as you use it to reply my messages.  
>  **athousandquestions:** you know you sounded like the poster boy for a young master at first but i think that was a joke right

Akashi’s reply comes a beat later. Chihiro wonders why.

 

> **shogi_emperor:** Yes, it was. I’m surprised you noticed.  
>  **athousandquestions:** i know i’m just hot shit like that  
>  **athousandquestions:** uh im kaguyaringo on LINE  
>  **shogi_emperor:** …  
>  **athousandquestions:** I MADE IT A YEAR AGO STOP JUDGING ME  
>  **shogi_emperor:** Have you not chosen your “waifu” yet, Chihiro-san?  
>  **athousandquestions:** listen when the world has both kaguya and ringo to offer why would you want to choose  
>  **shogi_emperor:** I didn’t peg you for the harem protagonist type.  
>  **athousandquestions:** STOP

4.

With LINE on his phone and computer, they talk a lot more frequently, about a lot more things. Their messages begin to hold less meaning and thought, just quick sentences about their days, something that irritated them, a thousand things that mean nothing in the grand scheme of things, but they make up no less comfortable conversation.

Chihiro begins to grow used to the routine of a message from Akashi waiting for him in his inbox wherever he goes. He knows he’ll have something to reply to in the morning because Akashi wakes up earlier than him, but he’ll have to wait after school because Akashi has basketball practice, student council meetings. Somehow, he’s even got Akashi’s schedule burned into his brain.

There’s 456.4km from Kyoto to Tokyo, from where he is to Akashi, but somehow Chihiro feels closer to him than anyone else.

5.

 

> **17:30 Akashi:** [ We had a streetball game after practice today. Momoi insisted on taking a picture. ]  
>  **17:31 Akashi sent an image.**

Chihiro knows Momoi. Akashi says she’s “very competent” at finding and analyzing information, which Chihiro takes as a sign that she’s basically Orihara fucking Izaya and he should start locking his accounts before she gets to him.

 

> **18:00 Mayuzumi:** [ hold on im loading it]  
>  **18:02 Mayuzumi:** [ what the fuck i didn’t expect you guys to be walking advertisements for skittles ]  
>  **18:02 Mayuzumi:** [ so which one is you ]  
>  **18:03 Akashi:** [ The one with red hair, Chihiro-san. I expected better of your deduction skills. ]

And then Chihiro stops replying, because _holy shit, Akashi is beautiful._

Akashi’s smiling at the camera in the picture, the kind of smile that says “I am _absolutely_ better than you” and while Chihiro wants to laugh ( _of course_ he’d have a smile like that), there’s also a part of his heart that skips one, two beats and he’s going to _scream_ because there is _no way_ this is what shoujo manga would say it is.  

 **18:10 Mayuzumi:** [ you look like a nerd ]

Chihiro saves the picture.

6 (Rakuzan era)

 

> **16:20 Akashi:** [ Let’s have a phone call, Chihiro-san. ]  
>  **16:20 Mayuzumi:** [ what ]  
>  **16:21 Mayuzumi:** [ why ]  
>  **16:21 Akashi:** [ You’re out of school already, aren’t you? I just want to hear your voice. ]  
>  **16:22 Akashi:** [ I’ll explain when you pick up. ]

Chihiro figures that that means Akashi will call him, and so lo and behold, his phone starts buzzing with the LINE phone call screen.

Seriously, when was the last time someone that wasn’t his mom called him?

“Chihiro-san?”

Holy shit. So not only is Akashi beautiful—shut _up_ brain—the fucker’s also got the smoothest voice in existence. No wonder he’s in the student council and all that shit; his fangirls probably leap at any chance to let him speak.

“…Akashi?”  
“You speak quieter than I expected, for someone who’s always throwing expletives around.”

Okay, _that_ sounds more like the little shit Chihiro knows. It’s easier to speak from there.

“Oi, watch it. I’m still technically your senpai even if I’m not in your shitty winning-obsessed school.”  
“That sounds more like the Chihiro-san I know.” Akashi’s _chuckling_ , and Chihiro drags one hand down his face. The tables have turned again. This is _illegal_. He sounds _adorable_. Chihiro’s in _hell_.

“So will you tell me _why_ you decided to call me?”  
“Oh. There was a student council meeting. I wasn’t interested in listening to them go over the same details we’d gone over a week ago.”  
“Yeah, I get you.” Chihiro exhales, adjusts his bag hanging off his shoulder, keeps walking. He expects there to be an awkward silence now, but somehow it’s only comfortable.

Akashi hums in response, and it turns into a tune that Chihiro doesn’t recognize, carried into the wind.

“It’s Kreisler’s ‘Love’s Joy’, Chihiro-san.”  
“Hm. It sounds nice.”  
“I’ll keep on, then.”

Akashi’s voice is oddly comforting. Chihiro catches himself just before he wishes he could hear it every day, all the time, saying anything at all.

7.

 

> **12:05 Akashi:** [ I need a solution. ]  
>  **12:05 Mayuzumi:** [ spill ]  
>  **12:07 Akashi:** [ It’s Valentine’s Day, and I have received inconceivable amounts of chocolate. ]  
>  **12:08 Mayuzumi:** [ so your problem is you’re so popular you legit can’t handle it ]  
>  **12:08 Mayuzumi:** [ can’t you give some to your weird teammates ]  
>  **12:09 Mayuzumi:** [ there’s one that likes food right ]  
>  **12:10 Akashi:** [ Nebuya prefers meat. Kotaro has already eaten a box for me. Reo has been going on about cavities for the past half an hour. ]  
>  **12:11 Mayuzumi:** [ team mom found ]  
>  **12:11 Mayuzumi:** [ well i mean you could always give them to me ]  
>  **12:12 Mayuzumi:** [ let me feast luxuriously on the tears of your rejected admirers as i read ]  
>  **12:13 Akashi:** [ Precisely what I was looking for. What’s your address. ]  
>  **12:13 Mayuzumi:** [ i like how that wasn’t even phrased as a question ]  
>  **12:14 Mayuzumi:** [ are you serious though i was joking ]  
>  **12:15 Akashi:** [ Yes. ]  
>  **12:16 Akashi:** [ Consider them my Valentine’s Day gift to you. ]  
>  **12:16 Mayuzumi:** [ is the golden boy of rakuzan flirting with me be still my fragile maiden’s heart ]  
>  **12:17 Mayuzumi:** [ but yeah sure send em over i guess ]

Chihiro ends up with five boxes of chocolate, some fancy, some normal. As he munches he contemplates the thoughts of that particular box’s sender. Unfortunately, Akashi is the recipient of his conclusions.

 

> **20:00 Mayuzumi:** [ i feel like a tsundere sent this box ]  
>  **20:01 Mayuzumi:** [ like, “it’s not like i want to spoil akashi-sama or anything” so it’s not as fancy ]  
>  **20:01 Akashi:** [ /No/. ]  
>  **20:02 Mayuzumi:** [ or maybe she was like “i need to scrounge up the last of my savings to tell akashi-sama about my feelings” ]  
>  **20:03 Akashi:** [ You truly have a future as a writer. I hope at least you’re eating this box sincerely, then. ]  
>  **20:04 Mayuzumi:** [ what’s that? i couldn’t hear you over my being so distracted i totally missed the taste of what the chocolate i ate just now ]  
>  **20:04 Akashi:** [ You’re a heartbreaker, Chihiro-san. ]  
>  **20:05 Mayuzumi:** [ says the one who sent the passionate feelings of your admirers to your creepy internet friend ]  
>  **20:05 Akashi:** [ Touché. ]

8.

It’s midnight when Chihiro considers if he might be going insane.

Akashi doesn’t usually stay up this late; whether it be because he’s determined to uphold his role of golden boy (though Chihiro’s not sure _how_ he’s doing it; he’s golden boy of Teikou, Rakuzan, the Akashi family...Akashi must _surely_ be exhausted, if he were an ordinary human being), or because he’s genuinely exhausted between school and basketball, so the one time the clock ticks into the next day and Akashi still hasn’t said good night, of _course_ Chihiro has to witness this.

It’s just Chihiro expected it to be amusing, not borderline _concerning_.

 

> **00:05 Akashi:** [ Ans tomrorw ]  
>  **00:05 Mayuzumi:** [ i can’t believe i’m saying this but for the love of god please go to sleep ]  
>  **00:06 Akashi:** [ Wi ll you tuck me in , Chihro-san? ]

Chihiro is pretty sure nobody’s ever flirted with him, but he’s enough of a weeb and possibly hypersensitive when it comes to Akashi for the hairs on the back of his neck to start standing up.

 

> **00:08 Mayuzumi:** [ with a kiss on the forehead and everything right, sure ]  
>  **00:09 Akashi:** [ …Thaat sounds nic e ]

[ …yeah, it does. ]  
>BACKSPACE

 

> **00:10 Mayuzumi:** [ goodnight, akashi ]

His heart’s pounding a little too fast.

9.

 

> **21:50 Mayuzumi:** [ my cousin gave me this shirt because it didn’t fit him and i look like an idiot ]  
>  **21:51 Mayuzumi sent an image.  
>  21:52 Akashi: ** [ No, you look very good, Chihiro-san. ]  
>  **21:53 Akashi:** [ Better than I imagined. ]

Chihiro feels that a shoujo manga protagonist would have a heart attack over that message, but _really_.

 

> **21:54 Mayuzumi:** [ the hell is that supposed to mean ]  
>  **21:55 Mayuzumi:** [ did you imagine me as some gross old neet growing mould in front of my computer ]  
>  **21:57 Mayuzumi:** [ your silence is incriminating you dammit ]  
>  **21:58 Mayuzumi:** [ you little shit ]  
>  **21:59 Akashi:** [ Sorry, I was preoccupied for a few minutes. ]  
>  **22:00 Akashi:** [ …However, I cannot say your predictions weren’t correct. ]  
>  **22:01 Mayuzumi:** [ you’re terrible ]

10.

 

> **[ Akashi is calling. ]**

“I wanted to tell you something,” Akashi says as soon as Chihiro picks up the phone. He sounds breathless, excited. Chihiro imagines there are stars in his eyes as he says it, and his heart does a little flip at the idea that Akashi would _rush_ to tell him something that he was excited about. He wanted to him to _know_ , not just because it came up in conversation, but just because.

And that’s sappy, so Chihiro ignores it in favour of saying, “Yeah?”

“We’re going to nationals,” Akashi says, words rushing out so fast Chihiro strains to hear them, “But that’s not the point. I think I can slip away for a day to see you.”

Chihiro takes a moment to process this. “Wait, so—”

“We can meet each other, Chihiro-san,” Akashi sounds so _goddamn_ excited Chihiro’s already aching with the fact that he can’t reach over and pull him into a hug, a kiss, touch his face, “I can—”

“Holy shit,” Chihiro’s always sounded pretty emotionless, but it’s okay, because Akashi knows. For once, Chihiro finds it comforting there’s someone who knows so much about him. There’s no need to explain, no need for unnecessary words.

“Are you available on Saturday? We can spend all day together before I have to go back home,” Akashi goes on, and Chihiro doesn’t think he’s ever heard the guy so excited. They’ve been friends for _years_ , too.

“Sure, where can we meet?”

11.

It’s beginning to rain when they meet.

“Chihiro-san!”

“About time,” Chihiro grumbles. His heart’s been pounding nonstop since he arrived, waiting for Akashi, eyeing up every person whose hair looked _remotely_ red. There’s _finally_ an actually red-haired figure barreling straight towards him, not even holding an umbrella. Luckily, Chihiro’s holding one, and he automatically extends his arm to shield Akashi, too.

“I got hung up for a while,” Akashi explains as soon as he catches his breath. He’s actually _taller_ than Chihiro had thought; coming up to his face, at least. When Chihiro tips his head to look at him, Akashi’s eyes are glittering.

He never thought there’d be anyone so undeniably happy to see him.

“I gave them a suitable amount of distress for inconveniencing me.”

Chihiro snorts in response, and pokes Akashi forward. “Come on then, let’s get food or some shit. You’ve gotta be hungry, right?”

“Starving,” Akashi admits. “But first, I need to do something.”

“Yeah?—” Chihiro says, but in one smooth motion Akashi uses one arm to tug so the umbrella falls lower, covering the two of them and uses the other arm to yank his shirt collar down.

“Close your eyes,” Akashi whispers, his breath ghosting over Chihiro’s face, but that’s the only warning he gives before he moves closer and kisses him.

Chihiro’s mind completely shuts off.

Akashi’s lips aren’t as soft as one would expect someone this perfect to have, kind of chapped and dry but _fuck,_ they still feel _really_ good moving against his own. Akashi pulls him closer like he can’t get enough, kisses him like he’s been hungry for it, and shit, Chihiro _really_ hopes he has been. Akashi bites down on Chihiro’s bottom lip and an involuntary groan spills out of him— _shit_ , this moment better never end, _ever_ —

He swears he’s fucking jinxed the best moment of his life; the warmth against his lips leaves with an audible _pop_ that _fucks Chihiro up all over again_ , the grip on his shirt loosens; the only proof that they kissed is the heat on their faces.

Akashi licks his lips, and Chihiro bites his own to keep an embarrassing noise down. His heart’s beating far too fast for this. There’s a heat pooling somewhere in his stomach that feels simultaneously _very_ good and _very_ torturous.

Akashi’s hand is still on his arm that’s holding the umbrella.

“I wanted to keep your expression all to myself,” he says, smiling, and Chihiro wants to _rip his heart out_.

“I forgot the formalities,” Akashi continues, though the sheepishness sounds more like staged charm than anything else, “will you be my boyfriend, Chihiro-san?”

“How did you know I was gay for you even _over the Internet_.”  
“I know everything.”

Chihiro gives him a Look. Akashi responds in a laugh.

“Can we delay lunch until later?” he suggests. “There’s something else I’d like to eat.”

Chihiro suddenly very much likes the glint in his eye.

12.

“I’ve been waiting for this for far too long,” Akashi says, but it comes out mixed with a moan. The two of them are sitting on Chihiro’s sofa, Akashi straddling his lap. Earlier, Akashi had rolled his eyes at Chihiro’s utter incompetence at positioning himself and placed his hands on Akashi’s own hips, had gotten to work right away. Chihiro’s collar has been pushed so far his entire shoulder is in view, as well as the numerous hickeys left all over it.

Chihiro hums in response, far too busy with applying what he’s learnt. He licks his latest mark on Akashi’s neck and grins. He’s learning fast.

“I was kinder to you,” Akashi half-groans, leaning forward and twining his arms around Chihiro’s neck, pressing a kiss to his ear, side of cheek, neck, a hickey. “Your uniform will hide the marks _I_ left.”

“Maybe I have a possessive side.”  
“Mm. I can’t deny that I like that idea.”

Akashi rests his head on Chihiro’s shoulder, so close Chihiro feels him smile against his neck. He wonders if Akashi insists on always being so close to him because they’ve been far apart for so long.

“…Seijuurou,” Chihiro tries out.

The second Akashi freezes up Chihiro already has a defense on his tongue. “You always call me by my first name, so I—”  
“Say it again.”  
“What—”  
“It sounds best with your voice.”

Chihiro flushes, mutters, “Seijuurou.”

Akashi hides his face in Chihiro’s neck and pushes himself up closer against him—his _boyfriend_ , Chihiro’s heart can’t stop fluttering over it. This is dumb. Everything’s dumb.

Chihiro can feel the rapid _beat-beat-beat_ of Akashi’s heart against his chest.

Weakly, Akashi responds with, “Chihiro-san,” but it’s a rather ineffective attempt at defense. Chihiro feels proud that he at least has _one_ attack that Akashi’s totally vulnerable to.

“…So Rakuzan’s in Tokyo too, huh.”  
“Yes.”  
“Does this mean we can do this more often?”  
“If my schedule will allow it. But trust me, I’ll definitely _make_ it allow it.”

* * *

BONUS:

??? (Rakuzan era)

 

> **14:11 Mayuzumi:** [ how pathetic. ]  
>  **14:11 Mayuzumi:** [ did you want me to comfort you? encourage you? i won't be doing any of that. I’m not a saint. ]  
>  **14:12 Mayuzumi:** [ you were talking real big before, and now you're like this? ]  
>  **14:13 Mayuzumi:** [ though... i don't really think that's the case. you're a completely different person from the guy I met back then. ]  
>  **14:14 Mayuzumi:** [ so, who are you? ]
> 
> **14:20 Akashi:** [ … ]  
>  **14:21 Akashi:** [ I’m Akashi Seijuurou, of course. ]


	2. side: akashi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _What I never knew_   
>  _is that you would be here too_
>
>> Akashi Seijuurou is in love with a boy he’s met over the Internet, but that’s the _least_ of what he is to him.

Akashi Seijuurou is in love with a boy he’s met over the Internet, but that’s the _least_ of what he is to him.

1.

At first it’s just an idle glance at his blog, because it’s the series that Kuroko talks about occasionally. Chihiro-san _still_ asks him how he found his blog in the first place; Akashi attributes it to two eyes that can see shadows, but what he’s _really_ surprised about is how Chihiro-san’s low presence manages to appear even online.

The post’s language is crude and the writing close-minded, room for only one opinion, but it sounds like his own, so he comments.

2.

On second thought, he leaves a message as well. _Nobody_ in Teikou understands his opinion. He might as well talk about this to someone who  _does_. 

3.

When he’s pestered to make a LINE account, Akashi just shrugs and does it. It’s just social media, after all. It’s not worth fighting over, unlike Midorima, who’s had his phone kidnapped by Kise and Aomine. Akashi hides a smile as Midorima storms past him yelling, and sends a text to Chihiro-san asking for his LINE. After all, social media is meant to be used, and LINE uses less data than their original talking platform.

He has to voluntarily fight back smiles as he continues to message.

4.

Akashi’s never quite understood the appeal of idle chatter before Chihiro-san.

It always seemed rather pointless to him, meaninglessly talking about meaningless things, but somehow, he feels lighter these days. When something _inconveniences_ him, he can send a text instead of getting so frustrated he starts to plot murder; when something happy happens, there’s someone else to—well, not exactly enthuse with him, but listen to him ramble on about future prospects and what this means.

…It’s nice, to have someone to talk to just _because_.

456.4km between them, yet Chihiro-san is one of the people closest to his heart.

5.

He realizes he’s never sent Chihiro-san a picture of him, so he shrugs and decides, _why not?_ It’s rare for all of them to be in the same photo outside of team pictures.

(One of the reasons Chihiro-san had invoked his interest was because he had _absolutely no idea_ who he was. While Akashi likes knowing he’s on top, likes looking at his accomplishments, it also gets _tiring_. Girls attach “-sama” to the end of his name. Everyone looks to him for guidance and leaderships. Even Nijimura-senpai had looked at him and depended on him, not that he blamed him for it.

But still, he’d like a chance to just _be_ , for once.)

And so he sends the picture because it’s casual, just a bunch of teenagers being teenagers. Chihiro-san knows nothing about the Miracles than what Akashi’s told him, wouldn’t care even if he _did_ know. It’s one of the things Akashi appreciates very much about this situation.

After Akashi tells him which one he is, Chihiro-san’s silent for so long Akashi wonders if he’d fallen off his chair or something.

He considers sending a message asking, but figures he just got distracted by something else.

When Chihiro-san finally replies, Akashi has to fight back another grin. What a very Chihiro-san-esque answer.

6\. (Rakuzan era)

He wants to hear Chihiro-san’s voice, he realizes one day.

And he wants to get out of this student council meeting.

So he excuses himself because of a phone call, and sneaks out to actually make the call. It’s two birds with one stone. He’s excited to hear what Chihiro-san sounds like; knowing his personality, maybe a slow drawl? Perhaps he has a Kansai accent. Is his voice deep or high?

Chihiro-san sounds more _hesitant_ than he’d expected.

The idea that he’s _nervous_ about talking to him is unexpectedly adorable. Akashi’s heart skips once.

But Chihiro-san’s voice isn’t particularly deep, or high. He doesn’t speak particularly slowly, or quickly. Somehow just his voice is comforting; it puts Akashi at ease without any effort, even if his heart _is_ beating quicker than normal. Akashi vows to find ways to hear Chihiro-san’s voice _more_.

(He laughs at the pure irony of humming Love’s Joy to Chihiro-san. The other’s light novels would appreciate it.)

7.

_Yes_ , Rakuzan’s “golden boy” is flirting with you. It’s almost frustrating that you don’t notice it, Chihiro-san.

8.

Akashi reads his past messages and vows to _never talk about it again_.

(Somewhere at the back of his mind, the other him is remarking on how both of them let their guard down so easily around Chihiro-san.)

9.

Chihiro-san is _beautiful_.

When Akashi presses his cold fingers to his face, it feels burning hot. _That’s_ what he’s preoccupied with.

10.

He has the chance to _see_ Chihiro-san, to _hear_ his voice without it being muffled by bad connection, to reach out and _touch_ him. Is he every bit as warm as he feels in his imagination?

Akashi hopes he can kiss him, too. He _really, really_ wants to kiss him.

(What kind of sounds would Chihiro-san make if he did? Would he like it if Akashi pulled his hair? Would he be pliant under Akashi’s hands, let him hold him where he liked?

…

Akashi needs to stop reading those novels Mibuchi recommends him. It’s only succeeding in torturing himself.)

11.

He gets to kiss Chihiro-san.

His heart’s beating so fast, too fast, he feels like it might fly out of his ribcage any moment. He’s _clutching_ onto Chihiro-san’s collar with all the might he has to ground himself, to pull him closer, god he can’t get close _enough_ , he’s wanted this for so long, ah—

Chihiro-san’s lips are so soft. Akashi wants to make them shining with saliva all over them. He bites down on Chihiro-san’s bottom lip instead; ah, _shit_ , that noise went straight to his groin. If he could move his arms at all he’d move his hand to pull at Chihiro-san’s hair and see what _more_ indecent noises he makes—

And that’s what tips him off that he has to _stop_. They’re still in public, after all. Akashi really doesn’t think he can control himself any longer if they don’t stop right now.

Chihiro-san’s lips are indeed shining. Mm. But judging by how Akashi feels, his own probably are too. Absentmindedly, he licks his lips and watches in amusement as Chihiro-san’s expression changes into one of a tortured man.

12.

Chihiro-san _is_ pliant under Akashi’s hands, his mouth. His skin is smooth and incredibly wonderful to sink his teeth into. He lets out little gasps he tries to muffle when Akashi bites down particularly deep, pretends not to react when Akashi leaves hickeys all over his shoulder, just under his shirt, and Akashi _loves_ it.

“I’ll get _much_ louder noises out of you someday,” he murmurs against Chihiro’s throat.

“Hm?”

Akashi answers by sucking another hickey onto his throat.

Another thing: Akashi _really_ likes sitting on Chihiro-san’s lap. He likes how his hands fit on his hips. He likes that when he moves closer, pressing the both of them flush against each other, Chihiro-san tries to look away and hide his face in embarrassment. Of course, Akashi’s hands redirect his face back to staring back at him. The blush on his face is _very_ adorable.

When Chihiro-san gets the hang of hickeys, Akashi wants to take back _anything_ he ever thought about him being adorable. Chihiro-san is _ruthless_. There’re hickeys and bites _all over_ his neck, throat, shoulders. His lips are swollen. Akashi Seijuurou looks the very image of _indecent_ , and he loves that Chihiro-san’s reduced him to this.

He rests his head on Chihiro-san’s shoulder. He likes being this close. Two screens had been the norm, but now it seems so impossibly far. He’d like to live like this, forever.

“…Seijuurou.”

Akashi freezes.

When Chihiro starts to defend himself, Akashi wants so badly to kiss it off his lips, drown the idea that saying his given name was ever a bad idea. _Sei-juu-rou_. His name’s never sounded better.

There’s no way he’ll let anything take this away from him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i thought so much about why akashi did what he did that i had to put it into words
> 
> i had a lot of fun writing their shameless making out as if it wasn't obvious enough already HAHA
> 
> akashi thinks he's bad with imagining kissing mayu, meanwhile mayu's a diRTY MOTHERFUCKER. SOMEONE SPRITZ HIM WITH WATER. luckily akashi's on board with his sinner of a boyfriend. he also gets converted into a sinner.
> 
> lyrics are once again from "other side of the screen"!

**Author's Note:**

> EDIT (like 2 hours after posting great): i realized it is Feb 10 and so CONGRATULATIONS this is also my Valentine's Day contribution to the fandom i am trash but i hope it wasn't not enough fluff or too much fluff but just right fluff for you guys backflips out
> 
> one day i was bored out of my mind and i said to myself, "i want to write akamayu. but i haven't done shit in my life to write something i really know about. what's something i really know about that i could write a story about?"
> 
> this trainwreck happened.
> 
> i hope it killed you as much as it killed me. i really love this AU
> 
> PS: way back in 2 akashi mentions the kanji for chihiro, so i figured i'd leave a note here:  
> 
> 
> * chihiro (千尋) means "a thousand questions" in its entirety.  
> 
> * 千 (chi): thousand  
> 
> * 尋 (hiro): i'm not sure what it means in japanese, but in chinese it means "search".
> 
> PPS: title + lyrics are from [ other side of the screen by emily scholz](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5Vc1xWFKcQ)! i'm attacked by feelings every time i listen to it.


End file.
